Loose-leaf device



Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,708,811 PATENT OFFICE.

AL'WIN VON AUW, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BOOR'UM 6t PEAE'SE (MM-- PANY, 0]? BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YGlt-K.

LQOSE-LEA]? DEVICE.

Application filed June 2,

This invention relates to loose leaf devices and more particularly to flexible covers therefor in which the back and sides are made of leather. One of the objoc s of this invention is to provide a flexible leather cover for loose leaf devices which can be manufactured economically and without wastage. Another object of the invention is to make a leather cover loose leaf device which has few parts, simple to manufacture, absolutely flexible, and of an improved appearance. According to this invention the cover and back are made of plies of leather with the flesh sides -cemented together and preferably integral from edge to edge of the cover. Wherever the specification or claims speak of leather it should be understood to include leather and leather-like substitutes.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a cover made according to my invention before the two plies of leather are glued together;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the two plies of leather after being glued together, the top ply being partly broken away to show the cloth loop between the plies;

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the back of the cover shown in Fi 2;

Fig. lis an edge view of the cover after the back plate has been placed in position;

Fig". 5 is a partial plan view of the ring metal in the cover, partly broken away to show the relation of the parts; while Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of cover showing a cloth loop fastened inside both plies of leather.

Flexible covers for loose leaf devices have heretofore been either of the single-ply integral leather type or of the built-up type having a leather outside, a cardboard stiffening; and a lining. This built-up type re quires a large number of steps in its manufacture and is not a wholly desirable product in that the covers while somewhat flexible are apt to crack or snap and show permanent creases. The single-ply leather cover is objectionable because of the tremendous wastage of leather in its manufacture and because it is generally necessary to stitch through the leather at the back in order to fasten the ring metal to the leather. The wastage in leather is due to imperfections in the hides such as so-called butchers cuts or the thinned or roughened spots which are found on the flesh side of even the finished leather. Ac-

1927. Serial No. 1%,076.

cording to the present invention it proposed to use in the place of a single piece of leather two pieces of leather 7, 8 of the same size as a single piece but thinner than the single ply and those two pieces are cenfronted together with the flesh sides together. lly thus cen'icnting together the flesh sides 9, 9 which is where the imp r cions occur, all'i'iost the entire wastage is eliminated. Flt]? therlnore, it is not nccos iry-in fact it undesirable to finish the flesh sides. 3y thus gluing the flesh sides together while still rough, the two pieces are more firmly cemented together. It should be noted that diid'erent kinds of leather can be used for the two surfaces. Thus for instance, cow hide can be used on the outside and sheep skin on the inside, or any other combinations of irinds or colors, if desired. The outer or smooth sidoslO, 10 can be grained as d sired. It should also be noted that by ei'nployin r these lighter pieces of leather the cost of the raw material is reduced in addition to the elimination of wastage. If desired, the inner ply need not extend across the space where the ring; metal. is to be fastened and then smaller pieces can be used for that ply. The edges of these two plies of leather are easily burnished until they give the appearance of a unitary ply and the resulting material has the feel, sound and life of a gle piece of leather.

It has also been discovered that the as sembly of the ring); metal with the cover can be very much siinplilicd and in'iprovod by means of making this two-ply integral cover in a certain manner. This improved construction is obtained by placing; the back plate 11 between the two plies of leather and allowing; the prongs 12 of the backplate to project through the inner ply and grip the ring metal or other lea-tfiretaining structure. This is ln'eferably accomplished in the following manner. A. cloth or paper loop 14L of suflicient width to permit insertion of the backplate in it is placed between the two integral plies of leather before they are glued together.- The loop is so located. that when the two plies are glued together, the loop lies up and down at what is to be the baclr of the book. It will be noted that by laying the loop between the two plies of leather and then. gluing; the plies together there is an opening 15 up the back of the cover into which. the backplate can'be inserted. This opening can be formed without the use of a -loopshould preferably befiush with the lower edges-of the back of the two plies of leather,

loop, if desired, bynot putting cement or glue .on'the surfaces. of the plies of leatherat the the bac'lrplate from the lower end.

back except at. the top edges This loop'is automatically closed at the top edge of the back of the :cover by, virtue of the gluing together of the two plies of leather, inasmuch as the loop does'iiot extend out quite flush with the edges of. the leather. There is I therefore no question-of closing up the upper end of the loop. The lower end of the thus leavingthe loop open for insertion of tter thebackplate has been inserted and the up stan'din'g prongs .12 of the 'haclqalate put throu 'h the. inner 1 of leather lue is placed in the epe nin'gof the loop and the edge cit-the two plies'oi leather cementedto- I gether at this point, thus sealing the backplateTcompletely between the twoplies of [on the-smooth or grained surface innerply 17 as shown'inFig; 6, V I

fIIt will thusbe observed that the backplate is firmly held from movement in either direction', being held atlall 'its' edges by the two plies of leather cemented ;together. It .is alsotheld from movement by its prongs which leather; Itdesired the loop 16 can be sewed 10 of the grip theintegral inner ply otleather between itand 'the pring' metal. The strength I and simplicity. of this construction'will be obviouspandthe-neat appearanceof having I theringmetal held down directly onto the 35 j r I tage. iFurthermore-, it shouldbe noted' that all ditficultiesofgluing leather to metal have integral inner ply ,is another obvious advanbeen avoided, the:backplate simply lying in l Y the loop. Iffdes ired, holes or' slots can be punched through the inner plyof leather at theg point'sjwhere the'prongs are to "project said two plies of leather together, inserting a bachplate having prongs in said open loop 'l'rom one end, and causing the prongs of the .bachplate to project through one side of the loop and one of the plies of the cover, and

, fastening a leaf-retaining structure to said prongs, substantially as described.

' 2. A loose leaf device having a flexible cover composed of two plies of leather with their flesh sides glued together, each ply being integral from edge to edge ol? the cover,

in combination with an open loop lying between the two plies at the back of the cover and a' metal hackplate inside said loop with prongs projecting through said loop and said inner ply of leather, said prongs being adapted to grip a leaf-retaining structure.

, 3. A loose leaf ring hook having a flexible cover made of two plies of leather glued with their flesh sides together containing a cloth loopglued between them and a metal backplate inside said loop, in combination with a ring metal held on the inner face of the cover by prongs on said backplate projecting through holespunched in the inner ply of the leather. I I I V In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. i I

ALWIN VON AUW. 

